Fact-Check: Viral WhatsApp Claim About Adeleke Victory Money Is Fabricated

Claim: A viral WhatsApp message claimed that popular musician David Adedeji Adeleke, better known as Davido, was giving out ₦15,000 cash transfers to celebrate Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election victory.

Verdict: Fabricated

Background

Within twenty-four hours of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declaring Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke the winner of the August 15 governorship election, a viral message began circulating. It claimed that Davido, Governor Adeleke’s nephew, was giving out ₦15,000 cash transfers to celebrate the result.

The link redirected users to a website with a flier urging them to “apply now”, claiming the offer was “100% free” and had “limited slots”. The site also showed high engagement, with many comments and shares suggesting people had received the payment.

However, NDRFactcheck identified several common red flags warranting further investigation.

Verification

NDRFactcheck reviewed the website and found several concerning signs. The massive engagement made the offer look credible at first glance, but closer observation revealed that none of the commenters provided credible proof such as transaction receipts or official confirmation. Instead, the comments were filled with vague excitement.

Bot activity was also apparent. Many comments appeared in rapid succession, suggesting automated accounts were amplifying the scam. Repeated phrases such as “I got mine” or “Thanks, it worked” are common tactics scammers use to make fraudulent offers seem trustworthy.

Further investigation indicated that ScamAdviser flagged the site as new with very low traffic and a poor trust score. Although the site has an SSL certificate, scammers increasingly use SSL to appear legitimate, so the certificate alone does not guarantee safety.

Checks on Davido’s verified social media accounts revealed no announcement of such an offer. Similarly, a visit to the official website of the Osun State government yielded no information supporting the claim.

Conclusion

From the foregoing, the claim that Davido sponsored a ₦15,000 cash transfer to celebrate Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election victory is fabricated. The viral message and website are part of a phishing scam designed to mislead the public.

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